Unicorn Blood
by Crystal Music
Summary: I never thought I'd become a Draco-ist, but here it is. It's inauguaration time for Draco into the Death Eaters .. what will the final trial be?


Draco Malfoy was a reasonable person, or so he thought. He was a Slytherin, the best house (naturally), he paid a fair amount of attention to his looks, he got fair grades, he was Seeker of the Slytherin Quidditch Team, and of course, he teased Gryffindors like Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and (ugh) Harry Potter. It was a Slytherin's lifestyle. 

He lived in a modest mansion with his mother, Narcissus, and father - Lucius. They had plenty of servants, of course, but they didn't really count. 

Draco always assumed he would be a Slytherin like his father and mother. He was raised to be one from birth. His house, like any good Slytherin's, was full of hidden trapdoors and secret rooms full of Dark Magic related objects, just awaiting Voldemort's rebirthal. 

It was the summer after fourth year that really changed him. The summer after Lord Voldemort's rebirthal - of course that meddler Potter got himself mixed up with it - when Voldemort again began to visit his house. 

"Draco," said his father one morning, a few weeks after school let out, "there will be another meeting soon, and I expect you to attend." 

A meeting. Draco knew what those were. They'd had several since Voldemort returned. 

"Yes, Father," he said, straightening in his chair. A meeting! He'd never been allowed to go to one before. His father must think he was doing well. 

"Good," said Lucius, not really listening. "I want you to don the garb of a Death Eater, for the inauguration is upon you."

_ Inauguration?_ "What?" Draco said. 

"The time has come for you, my son, to join the ranks of the Death Eaters once and for all. There is, of course, a ritual, in which all Death Eaters participate, and it is then you will receive the traditional Dark Mark upon your arm."

Draco slid the sleeve up off his arm. It looked very white and plain. But soon the ugly black Dark Mark would be upon it. He wondered if it hurt when you got it. Probably. Voldemort was that kind of person. 

Lucius rapped sharply for a servant. One of them, wearing the green Malfoy family crest and a strained smile, appeared at his side. 

"Bring me Draco's Death Eater robes," he instructed the servant. 

The servant bowed and hurried off. Draco stared after him. 

"Tonight?"

"Yes."

Narcissa burst into delighted tears. "Our son," she sobbed, "a Death Eater! Oh, my little boy, I'm so proud of you!"

"Mum," said Draco, embarrassed, "I'm not one yet."

"I just know you'll be the best one of all!" she said, hugging him and not listening to a word he said. "We'll have to get you a new broomstick for this!" 

He brightened. "One of the Silver Sunstars?" he asked excitedly. "So I'll finally have a better one than Potter again?"

Lucius grunted. "Don't worry, son. Potter won't be around to have his precious Firebolt anyway."

Draco let go of his mother, his stomach twisting suddenly. "You're going to kill him?" he asked, knowing the answer. 

"Voldemort won't wait," was the answer. "He's livid that Potter escaped him last time."

Draco didn't say anything. He had suddenly lost his appetite. Of course, he wanted Potter to be taken down a notch or two, humbled, expelled from Hogwarts would be good .. but _dead?_

"Do you have a plan already?" he asked his father, his mind racing. 

Once again the grunt and nod. "We'll tell you about it at tonight's meeting, Draco."

Draco looked down at his plate, then up again. "Can I be excused?" 

"May I, Draco."

"May I be excused?"

"Yes. Going to go plan for the meeting tonight?" His father chuckled. 

Draco fled from the Hall and to his room, where he sat down on the bed, thinking. _Can I go through with this? I don't think I can kill anyone. Potter's an idiot, yes, but dead? _

_ Can I deal with his blood on my hands?_

*

Night came far too quickly. Draco pulled on the Death Eater's robes slowly, stalling for time. The shimmering black fabric stared back at him as he looked in the mirror. 

"Draaaa-co!" called his mother. "You're going to be late for your inauguration!"

"Coming, Mum," he called. He couldn't think of anything else to stall with. Slowly he descended the stairs to the Hall. 

His mother, decked likewise in black, let out a gasp as he entered. "Draco - my precious little Death Eater!" she squealed. 

"Don't muss his robes, Narcissa," his father warned. He was in the black hood and mask already. Draco wasn't allowed to wear the mask yet... he had looked forward to it immensely before, but now .. 

"Come, Draco," Lucius said, taking Draco by the shoulder and guiding him towards the doors of the Hall. 

Outside, snorting and tossing their manes, were four jet-black winged horses with wild red eyes. They were harnessed to a familiar carriage with the Malfoy insignia on the side. 

"The horses?" Draco breathed. He'd never been allowed to ride this carriage before -- it was special.

"Climb in," said his father, smiling broadly at the look of awe on Draco's face. 

Draco climbed carefully into the carriage, following Narcissa. His father came last, and he took the horses' reins. He shouted a spell. 

The carriage rose into the air. 

"We're taking a special ride today, your not being of age to Apparate," he told Draco as the horses pawed the air and began to spread their wings. 

Draco looked out at the stars as the horses sped them through the night, marveling at the beauty. He felt perfectly comfortable in the world. What was that he'd been worrying about? .. Oh yes, Potter. Hell with Potter!

Fifteen minutes later, the horses slowed to a stop and hovered in midair. Draco looked over. 

They were atop a tremendous castle, its gleaming towers black in the night. Lucius, with a smirk at Draco's awe once again, guided the horses to a wide windswept balcony, and set the carriage down with a bump. 

Draco tumbled out in his eagerness. 

There, in a circle, was arranged a group of Death Eaters. Like him, they wore the traditional robes of shimmery black, plus the mask. And in the center.. 

In the center was the man of the hour, Voldemort. He was taller even than Draco's father; he had a pointed, evil face and flaming red eyes. Draco felt a shiver down his spine in spite of himself. 

"Welcome, Lucius," said Voldemort as his father came up behind him. "It is good to see you as always, my slippery friend." 

Lucius jerked a nod. Narcissa joined him. 

"And Narcissa .. you are still a beautiful woman."

She beamed at him and smiled, a smile of pure evil that should never be on the look of ANYONE'S mother, Draco thought. 

Voldemort turned last to him. "And Draco.." he hissed, one long hand coming up to touch Draco's face. "Draco, my boy, you are about to become a member of the most elite in the world .. you can finally help us eliminate Harry Potter, which, your father tells me, is your nemesis at school..."

Draco nodded, fear creeping into him like poison. 

"Yes.." Voldemort straightened, a smile coming over his face of pleasure. "Come, Draco," he beckoned Draco into the center of the circle. "Let us begin the ritual."

Draco swallowed and took the steps until he was standing dead middle of the crowd of Death Eaters. They closed ranks around him, every eye in its black mask upon him, and he felt extremely alone and uncomfortable. 

"Draco Malfoy.." hissed Voldemort, "you have proved yourself extremely loyal to the Dark Side. By completing this last trial set before you, you will join the ranks of the most elite in the world .. you will become a Death Eater."

The circle of Death Eaters smiled beneath their masks, and began to move slowly in a circle around Draco. 

Draco fidgeted, scared. Did he really want to take this last step? And what were they going to make him do as a trial?..

The Death Eaters, among them his own mother and father, began to chant in a low voice. What the words were, Draco couldn't tell. But Voldemort's voice rose above the rest:

"I CALL FORTH FOR THE ULTIMATE TRIAL TO BEGIN!"

Draco flinched. 

And the Death Eaters parted to reveal something in the darkness .. something brilliant and white, shining in the darkness..

Draco squinted..

It was a unicorn, Draco recognized it from class. 

And it was nearly dead. It was swaying on its feet, blood dripping from a wound on its side. Draco's mouth dropped open. The poor thing!

"Kill it, Draco," Voldemort urged, pressing a knife into Draco's hand. "Kill it, Draco, devour its blood, and you shall become one of us .. a Death Eater .."

Draco lifted the knife unconsciously. He looked at the group of Death Eaters, swaying and chanting in unison. He looked at Voldemort, his evil eyes bright at the thought of death and desecration .. and he looked at the unicorn. A whimper of animal pain split the air as it tried to lower its head and lick the wound on its side. 

Draco wavered. 

"Do it, boy," hissed Voldemort, his red eyes gleaming. "Do it now!"

Draco looked once more around .. and knew what he was going to do. 

He lunged forward with the knife .. 

.. and severed the ropes holding the unicorn down. He threw the knife over the side of the castle and never heard it land, as he was rushing forward to the unicorn. He was embarrassed to find himself crying as he touched the wound on its side. 

Some of his tears fell on the unicorn's side .. and through a haze of salty water, Draco saw that it was healing, miraculously .. 

He blinked. The wound was gone. 

The Death Eaters began to shout, and the yells pounded at his ears. He could hear his father - "DRACO! BOY, GET BACK HERE!"

The unicorn nuzzled his side. Draco looked numbly at it, his gaze blurred. "I'm dead," he mumbled, "I'm dead .. Father's going to kill me for this.."

The unicorn neighed. Suddenly, it reared and touched its horn to Draco's forehead. 

In a second, staring into the unicorn's bright eyes, Draco knew what he was going to do. 

The unicorn broke contact with him. The Death Eaters, Voldemort first among them, began to rush forward to grab Draco.

Draco gathered his courage and leapt onto the unicorn's back. It tossed its head back and neighed, and took off over the side of the castle. 

They were flying .. Draco's numb head pounded as he looked back at the furious crowd of Death Eaters, his father, his mother, Voldemort .. all yelling at him from the castle rooftop. 

He turned back and faced forward. The unicorn neighed softly as Draco's tears fell on its warm body. But he knew what he was going to do. He knew where he was going. 

Dumbledore's words pounded at him as he rode. 

_"Every guest in this Hall will be welcomed back here at any time, should they wish to come. Once again - in the light of Voldemort's return, we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided .."_

_Well, here I come,_ thought Draco as he looked up at the stars._ You know, Potter, maybe you were right. _

_ My father _**is **_an idiot._

  
  


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End file.
